Two Galway beaches were noted for their cleanliness in the latest IBAL litter survey, while Dog’s Bay Beach in Connemara has degraded.
Three beaches in Galway were surveyed out of 33 nationwide in the latest annual survey of coasts and inland waterways by Irish Business Against Litter.
Salthill and Lough Rea beaches were both declared ‘Clean to European Norms’, while Dog’s Bay Beach was found to be ‘Littered’.
Beaches, harbours, rivers and their immediate environs were monitored by An Taisce in June and July.
While there was a 50% rise in clean sites overall, the survey again found our coastal areas to be more littered than our towns, which IBAL researches as part of its Anti-Litter League programme.
“Over an unsettled summer, where our beaches attracted far fewer numbers than normal, one might have expected the majority to be virtually free of litter,” says Conor Horgan of IBAL.
“Unfortunately, this does not reflect the state of our coastal environment. There is much ‘long lie’ litter and waste coming in from the sea, and this is compounded by litter from those who continue to frequent our coastline despite the inclement weather.”
There was little decline in the amount of cigarette butts, sweet wrappers, fast food wrapping and plastic bottles despite the lack of beach weather.
Coffee cups were also found at almost half of the sites surveyed, and disposable vapes have become a new scourge, turning up at 1 in 7 of visits.
“This time last year we were not seeing this form of litter at all, so its rapid emergence is worrying. So, too, is its impact on our environment,” warns Conor Horgan.
IBAL favours the banning of disposable vapes, which, it contends, run counter to the notion of a circular economy. Vapes contain electronics, chemical waste and single-use plastic which breaks down into microparticles, endangering sea life.
“At a time when we are urgently trying to reduce plastic pollution in our oceans, the emergence of vapes is concerning.”
IBAL credits the Clean Coasts programme, which supports over 2,000 volunteer groups, as a major force in ridding our coasts of litter throughout the year.
Its annual ‘Big Beach Clean’ takes place nationwide each September. The continued rise in volunteer groups, now in excess of 40,000, reflects the growing public concern around the marine environment.
